Safety Overshoe

ABSTRACT

An overshoe has a hollow front part open at the rear so that the shoe is engaged therein, and a band to be passed behind the heel of the shoe. The band is structurally separate from the front part and connected thereto.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to EP Patent Application No. 10290473.7 filed Sep. 3, 2010. The contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns a reusable protective overshoe adjustable directly to town shoes with very great ease, enabling visitors to move about occasionally in risk areas, in the context of individual protective equipment.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, during visits to a factory or building site, when wearing safety shoes is obligatory, EP-2064964 explains that several drawbacks are present:

-   -   difficulty in holding all shoe sizes in large quantities to         equip visitors,     -   need for a permanent stock concerning safety shoes intended for         visitors,     -   high manufacturing costs,     -   need for cleaning and disinfecting shoes for hygiene reasons, or         destroying them, after use.

One problem however remains, which concerns the manufacture of the overshoe and the conditions of use that stem therefrom.

This is because in EP-2064964 it is stated that it comprises an elastic adjustable to the town shoe size connected to a leather and/or textile upper covering a toecap, a slip-resistant sole, a lining for the upper made from leather and/or textile, a similar lining for cladding the inside of the toecap, and a rear protective apron for the heel made from leather and/or textile.

In addition, a precise operating method has to be followed for manufacture: firstly, all the components are cut out; secondly, some of the components are assembled by stitching; thirdly, the toecap is lined with the elements cut out from leather and textile(s); finally, the sole is adhesively bonded.

SUMMARY

An overshoe may comprise a hollow front part having an opened rear, so that a shoe having a heel can be engaged in said hollow front part, and a rear band adapted to pass behind said heel of the shoe, the rear band being structurally separate from the front part and connected to it by connection means, wherein the rear band is a single-piece moulding, and the front part and the rear band are made of one of an elastomer and a thermoplastics material.

According to a further embodiment, the connection means may comprise movement means allowing movement between the front part and the rear band. According to a further embodiment, the hollow front part may have a sole that becomes thinner at said opened rear. According to a further embodiment, the hollow front part may have a sole which, at a lower surface, extends towards said opened rear at least substantially as far as in line with the top of an area of the front part that goes up over the instep. According to a further embodiment, the hollow front part may have a sole which is serrated and provided with studs, staggered longitudinally. According to a further embodiment, said movement means may comprise, on sides of the front hollow part, two structurally separate parts comprising a projecting cylindrical pin terminating in a broadened head and assembled with a tubular barrel having a broadened head, said assembly passing into orifices in the front part and in the rear band. According to a further embodiment, at the rear, the rear band may have a tongue projecting upwards. According to a further embodiment, the front part can be made from plastic material reinforced at the front by a shell which is more rigid than said plastic material and embedded in the plastic material in which the front part is formed. According to a further embodiment, the shell can be made from non-metallic, non-magnetic composite material. According to a further embodiment, the connection means provided partly on the front part and partly on the band can be made from malleable plastic material and are interengaged. According to a further embodiment, the rear band may have laterally, on each side, a slot elongated in the direction of elongation of the rear band. According to a further embodiment, the rear band, which can be in a single piece, broadens from front to rear. According to a further embodiment, in front, on an instep, the front part may have at least one protrusion elongated essentially horizontally and extending laterally. According to a further embodiment, the band may have an elongation capacity greater than 1000%.

According to another embodiment, an assembly may comprise a shoe having a heel, and, an overshoe comprising:—a hollow front part having an opened rear through which the shoe is engaged in said hollow front part, and,—a rear band passing behind said heel of the shoe, the rear band being structurally separate from the front part and connected to it by connection means, the rear band being a single-piece moulding, and—the front part and the rear band are made of one of an elastomer and a thermoplastics material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For an illustrated presentation of all the features concerned here an embodiment will now be detailed non-limitatively and an alternative presented, in relation to the accompanying drawings, which form an integral part of the present description and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a profile view of the overshoe proposed, in the normal position of use,

FIG. 2 shows a profile view of the overshoe proposed, in a position with the rear band tilted upwards,

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the front part of the overshoe,

FIG. 4 shows a view of the rear part of the band at the heel,

FIG. 5 shows a view of the sole from below,

FIG. 6 shows a detail of the lateral fixing that can be articulated between the front part and the rear band, and

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the reinforcement shell that is advisedly disposed at the end of the front part,

FIG. 8 is an alternative diagram of an overshoe,

FIG. 9 shows schematically in horizontal section a connecting stud engaged in an orifice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to various embodiments, an overshoe may comprise:

-   -   a hollow front part open at the rear for the shoe to be engaged         therein, and     -   a rear band to be passed behind the heel of the shoe, this rear         band being structurally separate from the front part and         connected to it by connecting means.

Preferably, this overshoe may more specifically be characterised in that:

-   -   the rear band is a single-piece moulding, and     -   the front part and the rear band are produced with one of an         elastomer and a thermoplastics material.

This should effectively overcome the drawbacks mentioned above while also enabling visitors not to take their shoes off during factory visits or occasional passages through risk areas. Since the foot is not in contact with the overshoe, there is also no need to clean after use.

The latter point will be all the more satisfied if there is compliance with the recommendation according to which the front part and the band are, preferably exclusively, made from elastomer or thermoplastic material. A hardness of between 5 and 60 Shore D is recommended. This will also ensure good safety in use.

It is also recommended that the connecting means between the front part and the band allow relative movement between them. The use of articulation means is advised. Rotation means will in particular be favourable to enabling the front part and the rear band to pivot with respect to each other. Thus ease of manufacture and ease of use are combined.

To facilitate walking and further increase safety in use, it is also advised that a sole should equip the front part, this sole preferably becoming thinner towards the rear.

Also, for safety both against chemical attacks from products present on the floor and slipping, it is recommended that, underneath, the sole should extend towards the rear at least as far as substantially in line with the top of an area of the front part that goes up over the instep, and/or this sole is serrated and provided with studs, staggered longitudinally.

Other features of the overshoe are mentioned below.

It should be noted that a set of several overshoes each comprising all or some of the features presented here is also involved, this set comprising several front parts of several different sizes and fewer rear bands than front parts.

Further embodiments concern an assembly of:

a shoe having a heel, and, an overshoe comprising:

-   -   a hollow front part having an opened rear through which the shoe         is engaged in said hollow front part, and,     -   a rear band passing behind said heel of the shoe, the rear band         being structurally separate from the front part and connected to         it by connection means, the rear band being a single-piece         moulding, and     -   the front part and the rear band are made of one of an elastomer         and a thermoplastics material.

In the illustrations, an overshoe 1 can be seen, comprising a hollow front part 3 open at the rear (AR) so that the shoe is engaged therein (fine line 5; FIG. 8), and a rear band 7 to be passed behind the heel 50 of this shoe.

The hollow front part 3 preferably may have a sole 31.

The rear band 7 is structurally separate from the front part 3, that is to say the two parts constitute two separate independent pieces.

These pieces 3, 7 are however connected together by connecting means 8.

In this case, these means 8, called movement means, allow movement between the front part 3 and the band 7.

Here it is a case of articulation means allowing rotation between the front part 3 and the rear part 7.

Preferably, for reasons of efficacy, simplicity of manufacture and reduced cost, these means allowing movement, and therefore referenced in a general way 8, may comprise, on each side of the front hollow part 3, two structurally separate parts 9, 11 comprising a projecting cylindrical pin 9 a terminating in a broadened head 9 b and forcibly engaged or screwed in a tubular barrel 11 a itself terminating in a broadened head 11 b; see FIG. 6.

The means 8 or 9, 11 pass through orifices, respectively 30, 70, in the front part and the rear band. They can thus preferably be disposed perpendicular to the overshoe extension axis 15.

In FIG. 1, the overshoe 1 is in the normal position of use. The rear band 7 is tilted substantially horizontally and is passed behind the heel 50. In FIG. 2, the rear band 7 is tilted upwards. Free tilting downwards is also in principle possible and will be more practical for slipping on the overshoe.

In order to facilitate manoeuvring of the band, it is advised that it has at the rear a tongue 71 projecting upwards. In FIG. 1, it can be seen that the tongue 71, as it goes up, tilts towards the rear, behind the heel. It is here serrated in order to be slip resistant.

Concerning the band 7 again, it can be seen in FIG. 1 for example that preferably, behind the area of the orifices 30, 70, this band, here in a single piece, broadens from front to rear. This will be favourable to flexibility, elasticity and good rear holding.

Also concerning the band 7, it can still be seen in FIG. 1 that, laterally, on each side, it will favourably have a slot 73 elongated in the direction of elongation of the band. It will be noted that, in the figures, this slot 73 thus separates respectively upper and lower areas forming straps. In this way, strength, flexibility and elasticity will be combined. The straps can be joined together in the intermediate part, for example half way along, by an integral strut (therefore made from plastics material) 21. In FIGS. 1 and 3 for example, it can be seen that these straps are preferably also joined at the rear by the broadened heel 73, which can be surmounted by the tongue 71.

It is also recommended that, for the above reasons, the front part 3 and the band 7 be entirely made from elastomer or thermoplastic material, in particular VTP (vulcanised thermoplastic), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) or TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), preferably with a hardness of between 5 and 60 Shore D. There will thus be obtained, favourably, a product that can be washed with water and with very good resistance to cuts, abrasion and numerous splashings with food or chemicals, hydrocarbons in particular.

Another recommendation is that the band 7 should have a capacity for elastic extension greater than 1000%, or even 1150%. Remenant deformation of less than 50% is also advised. This band can preferably be moulded in a single piece.

Resistance of the elastic to being pulled away from the overshoe of 900 N is also provided.

In order to combine safety and ease of walking, it is also recommended, as shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 5, that the sole 31 of the front part become thinner, at the rear, at 31 a, where it therefore has a chamfered part, over its entire width.

In FIGS. 1, 5 again, it can be seen that, favourably, and for the same reasons as above, the sole 31:

-   -   will extend towards the rear at least as far as in line with the         top 13 a of an area 13 of the front part 3, which goes up over         the instep,     -   and/or this sole will be serrated, at 130, and, at 131, provided         with studs preferably quadrangular and longitudinally staggered.

In FIGS. 2 and 8, it can now be seen that, in front, on the instep, the front part 3 will favourably have one or more protrusions 17 elongated substantially horizontally and extending laterally. In this way the risks that obstacles will slide along this area, upwards, and reach the ankle, will be limited.

In FIGS. 1-3, 7 and 8, it will also be noted that, favourably, the front part 3 made from plastic material will be reinforced at the front, at the toes, by a hollow shell 18 more rigid and mechanically stronger than said plastics material. Thus the mechanical strength of this critical area will be increased.

It is advised that the shell 18, when the front part 3 is moulded, be embedded in plastics material, in which said front part will be formed.

This shell here goes up as far as the bottom of the instep. Moreover, in the figures, it extends in the front of the sole 31, which increases the strength thereof.

The shell 18 can be metal, stainless steel in particular; however, it is advised that it be made from non-metallic non-magnetic composite material.

Provision is made, with such a shell, to provide protection for the toes against impacts equivalent to 200 joules and against risks of crushing under a maximum load of 1500 daN.

In FIG. 8, the means 8 of connection between the front part 3 and the rear band 7 (which can each be identical to what was described above) comprise, on one of the parts (3 or 7), at least one projecting stud (or pin) 90 a forcibly engaged in one of several orifices 110 a, 110 b, 110 c formed on the other part. In FIG. 9, such a stud can be seen. An elastic connection like clips can thus be made. The use of several studs thus engaged in several orifices would secure the connection. It is advisable to dispose these studs and orifices laterally, on either side of said parts 3, 7; here it is at the end of the band and in a lateral part 33 a of the front part situated above a protruding part 33 b that goes up laterally from the sole, as illustrated.

As in the previous version, the lateral part 33 a of less thickness is extended forwards at the instep, above the area reinforced by the hollow shell 17, this protruding area joining said part 33 b, with which it forms here the same assembly, including the integral tongue 330 b, which, facing, projects upwards; see also FIG. 3.

If only one stud is provided on either side, rotation will be enabled between the parts 3, 7. A row or rows of several orifices 110 a, 110 b, 110 c disposed substantially parallel to the extension axis 15, as illustrated, will allow adjustment for height, and therefore adaptation for shoe size.

It should be noted that, in the two versions, the use of connecting means 8 provided partly on the front part 3 and partly on the band 7, produced from malleable plastic material and interengaged (here forcibly and/or by screwing like the pin or pins and barrel or barrels or the stud or studs and orifice or orifices) will assist a secure and inexpensive connection.

The connections 8 could be removable, once the parts have been formed respectively on the front part 3 and on the band 7 engaged together. This will make it possible to replace for example a broken band and will allow interchangeability.

Concerning yet another aspect of the concept presented here, it is also recommended that a unit of several available overshoes, each of the type presented above, should comprise several front parts 3 of several different shoe sizes and fewer rear bands 7 than front parts 3.

Thus it would be possible to provide only three sizes of front parts 3 covering sizes 35 to 48 and only one, or even two, different rear bands 7, with the advantages in terms of less cost, ease of stock management and interchangeability, or even limitation of any errors in assembly between the parts 3, 7 that will result therefrom. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An overshoe comprising: a hollow front part having an opened rear, so that a shoe having a heel can be engaged in said hollow front part, and a rear band adapted to pass behind said heel of the shoe, the rear band being structurally separate from the front part and connected to it by connection means, wherein: the rear band is a single-piece moulding, and the front part and the rear band are made of one of an elastomer and a thermoplastics material.
 2. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the connection means comprise movement means allowing movement between the front part and the rear band.
 3. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the hollow front part has a sole that becomes thinner at said opened rear.
 4. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the hollow front part has a sole which, at a lower surface, extends towards said opened rear at least substantially as far as in line with the top of an area of the front part that goes up over the instep.
 5. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the hollow front part has a sole which is serrated and provided with studs, staggered longitudinally.
 6. The overshoe according to claim 2, wherein said movement means comprise, on sides of the front hollow part, two structurally separate parts comprising a projecting cylindrical pin terminating in a broadened head and assembled with a tubular barrel having a broadened head, said assembly passing into orifices in the front part and in the rear band.
 7. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein, at the rear, the rear band has a tongue projecting upwards.
 8. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the front part is made from plastic material reinforced at the front by a shell which is more rigid than said plastic material and embedded in the plastic material in which the front part is formed.
 9. The overshoe according to claim 8, wherein the shell is made from non-metallic, non-magnetic composite material.
 10. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the connection means provided partly on the front part and partly on the band are made from malleable plastic material and are interengaged.
 11. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the rear band has laterally, on each side, a slot elongated in the direction of elongation of the rear band.
 12. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the rear band, which is in a single piece, broadens from front to rear.
 13. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein in front, on an instep, the front part has at least one protrusion elongated essentially horizontally and extending laterally.
 14. The overshoe according to claim 1, wherein the band has an elongation capacity greater than 1000%.
 15. An assembly of: a shoe having a heel, and, an overshoe comprising: a hollow front part having an opened rear through which the shoe is engaged in said hollow front part, and, a rear band passing behind said heel of the shoe, the rear band being structurally separate from the front part and connected to it by connection means, the rear band being a single-piece moulding, and the front part and the rear band are made of one of an elastomer and a thermoplastics material.
 16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the connection means comprise movement means allowing movement between the front part and the rear band.
 17. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the hollow front part has a sole that becomes thinner at said opened rear.
 18. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the hollow front part has a sole which, at a lower surface, extends towards said opened rear at least substantially as far as in line with the top of an area of the front part that goes up over the instep.
 19. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the hollow front part has a sole which is serrated and provided with studs, staggered longitudinally.
 20. The assembly according to claim 16, wherein said movement means comprise, on sides of the front hollow part, two structurally separate parts comprising a projecting cylindrical pin terminating in a broadened head and assembled with a tubular barrel having a broadened head, said assembly passing into orifices in the front part and in the rear band. 